> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://scaffoldstacks.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Adopt an existing project

> Bring an existing Clarinet repo onto Scaffold Stacks with stacksdapp init

Run `stacksdapp init` from the repository root to add the Scaffold Stacks frontend, TypeScript bindings, and debug UI to an existing Clarinet project.

## Contents

* [Requirements](#requirements)
* [What init does](#what-init-does)
* [Standard Clarinet layout](#standard-clarinet-layout)
* [Already scaffold layout](#already-scaffold-layout)
* [Layout conflicts](#layout-conflicts)
* [Init vs upgrade](#init-vs-upgrade)
* [Next steps](#next-steps)

## Requirements

* Clarinet **3.21+**
* Run from the repo root where Clarinet lives today

Verify with:

```bash theme={null}
stacksdapp doctor
```

## What init does

1. Normalizes layout to `contracts/Clarinet.toml` and `frontend/` when needed
2. Adds missing frontend template files
3. Runs `npm install` in `frontend/` and `contracts/`
4. Runs `stacksdapp generate`

<Note>
  If `frontend/` already exists but `frontend/scripts/export-abi.mjs` is missing, `init` exits with an error. Add that script, or move `frontend/` temporarily, then run `init` again.
</Note>

## Standard Clarinet layout

**Before:**

```text theme={null}
my-dapp/
├── Clarinet.toml
├── contracts/
│   └── token.clar          # path in TOML: contracts/token.clar
├── settings/
│   └── Devnet.toml
├── tests/
│   └── token.test.ts
├── package.json
├── tsconfig.json
└── vitest.config.ts
```

```bash theme={null}
cd my-dapp
stacksdapp init
```

**After (typical):**

```text theme={null}
my-dapp/
├── contracts/
│   ├── Clarinet.toml       # moved from repo root
│   ├── contracts/
│   │   └── token.clar      # moved from contracts/token.clar
│   ├── settings/
│   ├── tests/
│   └── package.json
├── frontend/
│   └── scripts/
│       └── export-abi.mjs
└── (root Clarinet.toml removed after move)
```

Entries like `path = "contracts/token.clar"` in `Clarinet.toml` still resolve. The file ends up at `contracts/contracts/token.clar`, with `Clarinet.toml` under `contracts/`.

## Already scaffold layout

```text theme={null}
my-dapp/
├── contracts/
│   └── Clarinet.toml
├── frontend/
│   ├── package.json
│   └── scripts/export-abi.mjs
└── ...
```

```bash theme={null}
cd my-dapp
stacksdapp init
```

Normalization is skipped. Missing files are filled in, then `npm install` and `stacksdapp generate` run.

## Layout conflicts

`init` fails if both of these exist:

* `./settings`
* `./contracts/settings`

Merge or remove one set, then rerun.

## Init vs upgrade

| Command                          | Use case                                                              |
| -------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `stacksdapp init`                | First time bringing an existing Clarinet project onto Scaffold Stacks |
| [`stacksdapp upgrade`](/upgrade) | Already scaffolded; refresh deps and regenerate bindings              |

## Next steps

```bash theme={null}
stacksdapp check
stacksdapp test
stacksdapp deploy --network testnet
```

For local development with auto-deploy:

```bash theme={null}
stacksdapp dev --auto-deploy
```